Headset controller

ABSTRACT

A headset controller takes a first touch sensor, a second touch sensor, a first pressure sensor, and a second pressure sensor as a control medium for users. The headset controller can generate four different output instructions by the users touching or pressing the operating interface. The headset controller integrates various sensing methods to generate the needed output instructions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/418,211, filed on May 21, 2019, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/140,157,filed on Sep. 24, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,349,160, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/655,456,filed on Jul. 20, 2017, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,123,107, which claimspriority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 105141056, filed on Dec. 12,2016, the entire contents of each of which being incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a headset controller, and inparticular, to the headset controller having the functions of adjustingvolume and selecting songs.

2. Description of Related Art

In general, conventional headset controllers use mechanical buttons ortouch sensing blocks to correspondingly generate a control instructionfor adjusting the volume (such as volume up or down) or selecting a song(such as selecting the previous or next song). For example, the useroperates a mechanical button to generate the control instructionindicating volume up. For another example, the user touches a sensingblock to generate the control instruction indicating a selection of thenext song.

A conventional headset controller that can generate four controlinstructions by the touch sensing method needs to respectively configurefour sensing blocks to generate the corresponding control instructions.Therefore, if a headset controller can integrate a variety of sensingmethods to generate the needed control instructions, the flexibility inoperation will be enhanced.

SUMMARY

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a headsetcontroller, which includes a first sensing line, a second sensing line,a first driving line, a second driving line, a driver, a receiver, and aprocessor. The first driving line is intersected with the first sensingline by a first touch sensor. The first driving line is intersected withthe second sensing line by a first pressure sensor. The second drivingline is intersected with the first sensing line by a second touchsensor. The second driving line is intersected with the second sensingline by a second pressure sensor. The driver is coupled to the firstdriving line and the second driving line. The driver is periodically andun-simultaneously configured for providing a power to the first drivingline and the second driving line according to a control signal torespectively generate a first voltage on the first sensing line and asecond voltage on the second sensing line. The receiver is coupled tothe first sensing line and the second sensing line. The receiver isconfigured for determining a sensing status of the first touch sensor,the first pressure sensor, the second touch sensor, and the secondpressure sensor according to the control signal, the first voltage, andthe second voltage. The processor is coupled to the receiver and isconfigured for generating an output instruction according to the sensingstatus.

Furthermore, the first touch sensor is disposed on the first pressuresensor, and there is a predefined distance between the first pressuresensor and the first touch sensor.

Furthermore, the second touch sensor is disposed on the second pressuresensor, and there is a predefined distance between the second pressuresensor and the second touch sensor.

To sum up, the present disclosure provides a headset controller, whichuses a touch sensor and a pressure sensor as a control medium, toprovide two different control instructions for users touching orpressing an operating interface. Accordingly, the headset controllerintegrates various sensing methods to generate the control instructions,thereby enhancing flexibility in operation.

In order to further understand the techniques, means and effects of thepresent disclosure, the following detailed descriptions and appendeddrawings are hereby referred to, such that, and through which, thepurposes, features and aspects of the present disclosure can bethoroughly and concretely appreciated; however, the appended drawingsare merely provided for reference and illustration, without anyintention to be used for limiting the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the present disclosure, and are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrateexemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a headset controller according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed diagram of a headset controller according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a positional relationship among the firsttouch sensor, the first pressure sensor, the second touch sensor, andthe second pressure sensor according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4A shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line andthe second driving line according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4B shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line andthe second driving line according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5A shows a diagram of a user touching the first touch sensoraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line, thesecond driving line, the first sensing line, and the second sensing lineof FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A shows a diagram of the user pressing the first pressure sensoraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6B shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line, thesecond driving line, the first sensing line, and the second sensing lineof FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A shows a diagram of the user touching the second touch sensoraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7B shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line, thesecond driving line, the first sensing line, and the second sensing lineof FIG. 7A.

FIG. 8A shows a diagram of the user pressing the second pressure sensoraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8B shows the waveform of the signals on the first driving line, thesecond driving line, the first sensing line, and the second sensing lineof FIG. 8A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of thepresent disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers areused in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or likeparts.

The present disclosure provides a headset controller, which takes afirst touch sensor, a second touch sensor, a first pressure sensor, anda second pressure sensor as a control medium for users, to generate fourdifferent output instructions by a user touching or pressing theoperating interface. Accordingly, the headset controller integratesvarious sensing methods to generate the needed output instructions(e.g., four control instructions indicating volume up, volume down,selecting the previous song, and selecting the next song), therebyenhancing flexibility in operation.

In addition, the positional relationship among touch sensors andpressure sensors can reduce the occupation of the operating interface,i.e., one sensing block corresponds to two output instructions. When theheadset controller generates four output instructions by sensingmethods, the conventional headset controller needs to provide foursensing blocks under the limited space of the operating interface, butthe headset controller of the exemplary embodiment only needs to providetwo sensing blocks, thereby enhancing the convenience in touchoperation. The headset controller provided in the exemplary embodimentof the present disclosure will be described in the following paragraph.

Referring to FIG. 1, which shows the diagram of a headset controlleraccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the headsetcontroller 20 includes an earphone 21, a headset controller 100, and anaudio connector 23. The headset controller 100 is disposed between theearphone 21 and the audio connector 23. When the audio connector 23connects to an electronic device 10 (e.g., a smart phone, an MP3 player,etc.) assembled with the headset device 20, the audio signal can betransmitted to the earphone 21 for a user's listening. An upper sensingblock UP and a lower sensing block DN are disposed on the operatinginterface IFC of the headset controller 100 to generate the differentoutput instructions by the user touching or pressing the sensing blocksof the operating interface IFC. For example, the user touches the uppersensing block UP to generate the output instruction indicating volume upto the electronic device 10. The user presses the upper sensing block DNto generate the output instruction indicating selecting the next song tothe electronic device 10. The inner structures of the headset controller100 provided in the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure willbe described in the following paragraph.

Referring to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows the detaildiagram of a headset controller according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the headset controller 100includes a first driving line TX1, a second driving line TX2, a firstsensing line RX1, a second sensing line RX2, a driver 110, a receiver120, and a processor 130. The first driving line TX1 is intersected withthe first sensing line RX1 by a first touch sensor 141. The firstdriving line TX1 is intersected with the second sensing line RX2 by afirst pressure sensor 151. The second driving line Tx2 is intersectedwith the first sensing line RX1 by a second touch sensor 142. The seconddriving line TX2 is intersected with the second sensing line RX2 by asecond pressure sensor 152. In the present disclosure, the first touchsensor 141 and the second touch sensor 142 are capacitive touch sensors.The first pressure sensor 151 and the second pressure sensor 152 arecapacitive pressure sensors.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first touch sensor 141 is disposed at aposition within the upper sensing block UP of the operating interfaceIFC. The first pressure sensor 141 is disposed on the first pressuresensor 151. There is a predefined distance S1 between the first pressuresensor 151 and the first touch sensor 141. The second touch sensor 142is disposed at a position within the lower sensing block DN of theoperating interface IFC. The second touch sensor 142 is disposed on thesecond pressure sensor 152. There is a predefined distance S2 betweenthe second pressure sensor 152 and the second touch sensor 142.Accordingly, the user can generate different output instructions bytouching or pressing the upper sensing block UP or the lower sensingblock DN of the operating interface IFC.

More specifically, the first touch sensor 141 is disposed on an elasticelement (not shown in FIGs), so that the first touch sensor 141 movesbetween the predefined distance S1. Therefore, when the user presses thefirst touch sensor 141 to move the predefined distance S1, the firsttouch sensor 141 touches the first pressure sensor 151 by an externalforce (i.e., the force of pressing the first touch sensor 141).Similarly, the second touch sensor 142 is disposed on an elastic elementequally (not shown in FIGs), so that the second touch sensor 142 movesbetween the predefined distance S2. Therefore, when the user presses thesecond touch sensor 142 to move the predefined distance S2, the secondtouch sensor 142 touches the second pressure sensor 152 by an externalforce (i.e., the force of pressing the second touch sensor 142).

Returning to FIG. 2, the driver 110 is coupled to the first driving lineTX1 and the second driving line TX2. The driver 110 is periodically andun-simultaneously configured for providing a power to the first drivingline TX1 and the second driving line TX2 according to a control signalCS, to respectively generate a first voltage on the first sensing lineRX1 and a second voltage on the second sensing line RX2. In the presentdisclosure, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the first driving line TX1 and thesecond driving line TX2 receive the power provided from the driver 110,the first voltage on the first driving line TX1 and the second voltageon the second driving line TX2 are at a high potential. Conversely, whenthe first driving line TX1 and the second driving line TX2 does notreceive the power provided from the driver 110, the first voltage on thefirst driving line TX1 and the second voltage on the second driving lineTX2 are at a low potential. Therefore, the waveform of the first voltageon the first driving line Tx1 and the waveform of the second voltage onthe second driving line TX2 are inverse to each other

In another disclosure, as shown in FIG. 4B, the time period during whichthe driver 110 provides the power to the first driving line TX1 can belonger than the time period during which the driver 110 provides thepower to the second driving line TX2. Besides, the time period duringwhich the driver 110 provides the power to the first driving line TX1can be less than the time period during which the driver 110 providesthe power to the second driving line TX2 (not shown in FIGs). Thepresent disclosure is not limited thereto.

Returning to FIG. 2, the receiver 120 is coupled to the first sensingline RX1 and the second sensing line RX2. The receiver 120 is configuredfor determining a sensing status of the first touch sensor 141, thefirst pressure sensor 151, the second touch sensor 142, and the secondpressure sensor 152 according to the control signal CS, the firstvoltage on the first sensing line RX1, and the second voltage on thesecond sensing line RX2. When the user touches or presses the uppersensing block UP or the lower sensing block DN of the operatinginterface IFC, the first voltage on the first sensing line RX1 or thesecond voltage on the second sensing line RX2 will change depending onthe sensing status of the first or second touch sensors 141, 142 afterbeing touched by the user, or the first or second pressure sensors 151,152 after being pressed by the user.

The sensing status determined by the receiver 120 when the user touchesor presses the upper or lower sensing blocks UP, DN is further describedin the following paragraph. The processor 130 is coupled to the receiver120, and the processor 130 generates an output instruction according tothe sensing status. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the user touches thefirst touch sensor 141 but does not press the first pressure sensor 151.When the control signal CS indicates that the driver 110 provides thepower to the first driving line TX1 (e.g., the high potential on thefirst driving line TX1 shown in FIG. 5B), the first voltage on the firstsensing line RX1 is at a touch potential (e.g., the high potential onthe first sensing line RX1 shown in FIG. 5B) and the second voltage onthe second sensing line RX2 is at a low potential. At this time, thereceiver 120 determines that a touch event has occurred with the firsttouch sensor 141, and then transmits said sensing status to theprocessor 130. The processor 130 generates an output instruction, e.g.,the output instruction indicating volume up, to the electronic device 10according to the present sensing status, so that the electronic device10 controls the volume.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the user touches the first touch sensor141 and presses the first pressure sensor 151. When the control signalCS indicates that the driver 110 provides the power to the first drivingline TX1 (e.g., the high potential on the first driving line TX1 shownin FIG. 6B), the first voltage on the first sensing line RX1 is at atouch potential (e.g., the high potential on the first sensing line RX1shown in FIG. 6B), and the second voltage on the second sensing line RX2is at a touch potential (e.g., the high potential on the second sensingline RX2 shown in FIG. 6B). At this time, the receiver 120 determinesthat a touch event has occurred with the first pressure sensor 151, andthen transmits said sensing status to the processor 130. The processor130 generates an output instruction, e.g., the output instructionindicates selecting the previous song, to the electronic device 10according to the present sensing status, so that the electronic device10 selects the song.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the user touches the second touch sensor142 and does not press the second pressure sensor 152. When the controlsignal CS indicates that the driver 110 provides the power to the seconddriving line TX2 (e.g., the high potential on the second driving lineTX2 shown in FIG. 7B), the first voltage on the first sensing line RX1is at a touch potential (e.g., the high potential on the first sensingline RX1 shown in FIG. 7B), and the second voltage on the second sensingline RX2 is at a low potential. At this time, the receiver 120determines that a touch event has occurred with the second touch sensor142, and then transmits said sensing status to the processor 130. Theprocessor 130 generates an output instruction, e.g., the outputinstruction indicates the volume down, to the electronic device 10according to the present sensing status, so that the electronic device10 controls the volume.

Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, the user touches the second touch sensor142 and presses the sensor pressure sensor 152. When the control signalCS indicates that the driver 110 provides the power to the seconddriving line TX2 (e.g., the high potential on the second driving lineTX2 shown in FIG. 8B), the first voltage on the first sensing line RX1is at a touch potential (e.g., the high potential on the first sensingline RX1 shown in FIG. 8B), and the second voltage on the second sensingline RX2 is at a touch potential (e.g., the high potential on the secondsensing line RX2 shown in FIG. 8B). At this time, the receiver 120determines that a touch event has occurred with the second pressuresensor 152, and then transmits said sensing status to the processor 130.The processor 130 generates an output instruction, e.g., the outputinstruction indicates selecting the next song, to the electronic device10 according to the present sensing status, so that the electronicdevice 10 selects the song.

Accordingly, the positional relationship among the first touch sensor141, the second touch sensor 142, the first pressure sensor 151, and thesecond pressure sensor 152 can reduce the occupation of the operatinginterface IFC, i.e., one upper sensing block UP corresponds to twooutput instructions and one lower sensing block DN corresponds to twooutput instructions. Therefore, when the headset controller generatesfour output instructions by sensing methods, the traditional headsetcontroller needs to provide four sensing blocks under the limitedoperating interface, but the headset controller 100 of the exemplaryembodiment only needs to provide two sensing blocks (i.e., the uppersensing block UP and the lower sensing clock DN), thereby enhancing theconvenience in touch operation.

In summary, the present disclosure provides a headset controller, whichtakes a first touch sensor, a second touch sensor, a first pressuresensor and a second pressure sensor as a control medium for users, toprovide four different control instructions by the users touching orpressing the operating interface. Accordingly, the headset controllerintegrates various sensing methods to generate the needed controlinstructions (e.g., four output instructions indicating volume up,volume down, selecting the previous song, and selecting the next song),thereby enhancing flexibility in operation.

The above-mentioned descriptions represent merely the exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure, without any intention to limit thescope of the present disclosure thereto. Various equivalent changes,alterations or modifications based on the claims of present disclosureare all consequently viewed as being embraced by the scope of thepresent disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A headset controller, comprising: an operatinginterface, having an upper sensing block and a lower sensing block; afirst touch sensor, disposed in the upper sensing block; a firstpressure sensor, disposed in the upper sensing block; a second touchsensor, disposed in the lower sensing block; a second pressure sensor,disposed in the lower sensing block, wherein the first touch sensor andthe first pressure sensor are disposed opposite to each other, and thesecond touch sensor and the second pressure sensor are disposed oppositeto each other; a first sensing line and a second sensing line; a firstdriving line, intersected with the first sensing line by the first touchsensor, and intersected with the second sensing line by the firstpressure sensor; a second driving line, intersected with the firstsensing line by the second touch sensor, and intersected with the secondsensing line by the second pressure sensor; a driver, coupled to thefirst driving line and the second driving line; a receiver, coupled tothe first sensing line and the second sensing line, configured fordetermining a sensing status of the first touch sensor, the firstpressure sensor, the second touch sensor, and the second pressuresensor; and a processor, coupled to the receiver, and configured forgenerating an output instruction according to the sensing status,wherein the first touch sensor is disposed on the first pressure sensor,and there is a predefined distance between the first pressure sensor andthe first touch sensor.
 2. The headset controller according to claim 1,wherein the driver is periodically and un-simultaneously configured forproviding a power to the first driving line and the second driving lineaccording to a control signal, to respectively generate a first voltageon the first sensing line and a second voltage on the second sensingline; and wherein the receiver is configured for determining the sensingstatus of the first touch sensor, the first pressure sensor, the secondtouch sensor, and the second pressure sensor according to the controlsignal, the first voltage, and the second voltage.
 3. The headsetcontroller according to claim 1, wherein the first touch sensor isdisposed on an elastic element, and the first touch sensor touches thefirst pressure sensor by an external force.
 4. The headset controlleraccording to claim 1, wherein the second touch sensor is disposed on thesecond pressure sensor, and there is a predefined distance between thesecond pressure sensor and the second touch sensor.
 5. The headsetcontroller according to claim 1, wherein the second touch sensor isdisposed on an elastic element, and the second touch sensor touches thesecond pressure sensor by an external force.
 6. The headset controlleraccording to claim 2, wherein when the control signal indicates that thedriver provides the power to the first driving line, the first voltageis at a touch potential, and the second voltage is at a low potential,the sensing status indicating that a touch event has occurred with thefirst touch sensor.
 7. The headset controller according to claim 2,wherein when the control signal indicates that the driver provides thepower to the first driving line, the first voltage is at a touchpotential, and the second voltage is at the touch potential, the sensingstatus indicating that a touch event has occurred with the firstpressure sensor.
 8. The headset controller according to claim 2, whereinwhen the control signal indicates that the driver provides the power tothe second driving line, the first voltage is at a touch potential, andthe second voltage is at a low potential, the sensing status indicatingthat a touch event has occurred with the second touch sensor.
 9. Theheadset controller according to claim 2, wherein when the control signalindicates that the driver provides the power to the second driving line,the first voltage is at a touch potential, and the second voltage is atthe touch potential, the sensing status indicating that a touch eventhas occurred with the second pressure sensor.
 10. The headset controlleraccording to claim 2, wherein a waveform of the first voltage on thefirst driving line and a waveform of the second voltage on the seconddriving line are inverse to each other.